Simmons made clear he felt The Ringer had not done well enough with staffing diversityGETTY IMAGES
The Ringer's Bill Simmons addressed the "backlash over the lack of diversity" at the outlet, which was highlighted in a recent N.Y. TIMES story that "detailed newsroom concern," according to Ryan Parker of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Simmons on his podcast last Friday made clear he "felt the digital media company ... had not done 'well enough' with staffing diversity." Simmons: "I wish it had been a bigger priority for us to really make a bigger commitment to diversity. ... In the moment we're looking at stuff, you pursue certain people, it doesn't work out. You feel like you're trying. And I think the moment that the country is having, in general, these last four weeks, is if you feel like you're trying, that's actually not good enough. We're going to do better." He added, "When you fall short in some way ... it hurts, but there's truth to it" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 6/26). Simmons reiterated that he is "committed to using his platform to 'raise the profile and platform of other people.'" Simmons said that one of the reasons he wanted to sell The Ringer to Spotify was "because of the 'resources and know-how' Spotify could provide in regard to diversity." In Boston, Nicole Yang noted The Ringer recently "hired Kaelen Jones, a Black writer to cover the NFL." Jones will be the "fourth Black writer" on an editorial staff of about 90 employees (BOSTON.com, 6/26).
